Seasons of Splendour (1985)

Seasons of Splendour: Tales, Myths and Legends of India was written by Madhur Jaffrey in 1985 but my edition was published in 1992 by Puffin Books. I found this book in my childhood bedroom while clearing it out and my recent study into Indian history and culture obviously made me keep and read it. This collection of short stories is 183 pages long (including the guide to pronunciations). It was a fascinating and enjoyable read and I'll review its structure, themes and my overall thoughts so you can consider having a read for yourself. 

Jaffrey structured these Indian short stories in the order of the Hindu calendar and more specifically followed the chronology of selected festivals throughout the year to head her chapters. Each chapter includes one or several short stories associated to the named festival. Because Jaffery herself was told many of these stories orally via her family members, she respects this oral tradition by including a comprehensive pronunciation guide at the end of the book. The 12 chapters are as follows: Introduction, A Special Birthday, Time For The Dead, Dussehra The Festival of Victory, The Day of The Wintery Full Moon, Karvachauth- The Little Clay Pot, Divali- Festival of Lights, Holi- Festival of Spring, A Day For Brothers, Nine Days' Festival and The Festival For Parvati. 

Since these stories are taken from Hindu mythology and scripture, they deal with both spiritual and worldly matters and their relationship. The themes are consequently linked to this worldly life and its spiritual significance, and so life, love, conflict, loss, family and death are amongst some of the topics of instruction. When matters of good and evil arise, I found the stories and characterisation of people to be more nuanced than most, although there is still the notion of good and bad we see that it is not always possible to come to a conclusion on the matter without looking beyond the surface. 

I was already familiar with some of these stories and festivals through my Religious Education classes at school and from watching lots of Indian dramas/ films but some of the festivals I didn't know the reason and stories behind and those I was familiar with were told with more detail and depth than what our brief school lessons taught. Jaffrey enhances the collection by connecting the festivals to her own childhood and family, which adds a valuable layer of how these festivals are celebrated and "lived" but also a glimpse into an Indian family's life along with its heritage. The book is nicely embellished by the black and white illustrations by Michael Foreman; they are detailed and add a visual dimension to the tales. 

Overall, this collection of short stories was a pleasure to read and I only wish there were more of them, which I am sure there are- but I may have to delve into the traditional Hindu texts to learn more. This would be a great book to read to young children (even for bedtime as the tales are not too long), or for them to read for themselves, but I also find that it is a valuable book for adults searching for a sneak peek into Indian cultural and religious heritage without going into academic study. It is engaging and informative and I believe that it makes a refreshing change from mainstream children's literature. 

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Have you read any interesting books about Hindu mythology and legend? Do you have any suggestions of some similar books? Do let me know in the comments below. 

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